Vernier bow sight

ABSTRACT

A low cost anti-backlash vernier sight which is mounted on the bow in a conventional manner for precise setting of bow and arrow range without mechanical backlash having a small auxiliary member for carrying a sighting element which is slidable along a sight bar and movable with relation to a main member by engagement with a connecting screw for fine adjustment therebetween. The main member is similarly slidable on the sight bar for coarse range adjustment and locked into position thereon before the fine range adjustment is made. A similar device without vernier capability is slidable in transverse relation to the sight bar and movable in relation thereto by engagement with a second connecting screw for fine adjustment therebetween to compensate for windage. Accuracy of settings for range and windage is obtained by eliminating mechanical backlash from the bowsight with a novel, low cost structure that preserves the vertical orientation of the sighting element thereon from rotation during adjustment for windage.

United States Patent Haines Feb. 11, 1975 VERNIER BOW SIGHT [57]ABSTRACT lnvemorl James Balms 1217 Tomi La A low cost anti-backlashvernier sight which is Sane 6130 mounted on the bow in a conventionalmanner for [22] Filed: Aug. 24, 1973 precise setting of bow and arrowrange without mechanical backlash having a small auxiliary member for PPN01 391,207 carrying a sighting element which is slidable along a sightbar and movable with relation to a main member [52] U.S. Cl. 33/265engagement with a connecting Screw 9 i 5 l] Int. Cl. F4lg 1/00, F41b5/00 lq therebqween- The member IS 5s 1 Field of Search 33/265 sl'dablethe 8*" bar for coarse range adiustmem and locked into position thereonbefore the fine range [56] References cued adjustment is made. A similardevice without vernier capability is slidable in transverse relation tothe sight UNITED T PATENTS bar and movable in relation thereto byengagement 2,893,124 7/1959 Sundquist 33/265 with a second connectingScrew for fine adjustment g r 'f' therebetween to compensate forwindage. Accuracy of 1, 2/1967 i g settings for range and windage isobtained by eliminat- 3 574 944 4/1971 Reynolds22:13:: 33/365 mgmechanical backlash from the bowslgh with a Primary Examiner-Richard E.Aegerter Assistant Examiner-Steven L Stephan Attorney, Agent, orFirm.lohn R. Diver novel, low cost structure that preserves the verticalorientation of the sighting element thereon from rotation duringadjustment for windage.

9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB1 1 I975 VERNIER BOW SIGHTBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The history of archery demonstrates a trendtoward bows with sights to improve shooting accuracy. In the past, manysighting devices have been designed for use with a bow to improve theaccuracy of the flight of the arrow. Sighting devices commonly in use atthe present time usually comprise a sighting element which is slidablymounted on the sight bar on the bow to meet the expedients of themoment. It has been the common practice to zero in on a particularsetting of the sighting element on the sight bar in accordance withcurrent shooting conditions by optimizing a series of trial shots withcoarse range adjustments and to mark the final setting on the bow or ona portion of the sighting device by drawing a pencil line thereon usinga portion of the sighting element as a guide. This process is followedby making slight changes in separating settings of the sighting elementon the bar with mechanical means having backlash, until, as determinedby the particular shooting conditions, the optimum setting is achievedfor the range or windage desired. When it is desired to return thesighting element to this previous setting, the pencil mark is relied onas a reference for resetting without precisevernier control. It isreadily apparent that to optimize shooting accuracy for a given set ofconditions or to return to the pencil mark for a repeat performance ofwhat was previously determined for the prior art is subject toconsiderable human error.

There has thus been a long-established need for a low cost vernier bowsight that will give precise and accurate range settings by theelimination of mechanical backlash therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of this invention lies in a low costvernier bow sight for range and windage settings having a smallauxiliary member for carrying a range sighting element which is slidablealong a sight bar in the vertical direction and movable with respect toa main member by engagement with a threaded stud and knurled nutcombination for fine adjustment therebetween, the main member of whichis similarly slidable on the sight bar for coarse settings and lockedinto position thereon before the fine adjustment is made. A firstcompression spring is inserted between the main and auxiliary membersand operatively works in the direction of sliding thereof over a roundthreaded stud which is threaded at one end into the auxiliary member andextends through a round working clearance hole in the main member spacedsome distance therefrom, which spring acts in opposition to the tensionforce applied between said auxiliary member and said main member by thestud threaded at one end in said auxiliary member and a knurled nutengaging said stud on the other end which extends through said mainmember for eliminating backlash from the range sight. A windage sight issupported on the end of a square cross-section threaded stud which ishorizontally slidable through a square working clearance hole mounted inthe auxiliary member in a direction transverse to the direction of thearrow shoot on the vertical sight bar, for precluding the rotation ofthe stud and the sight mounted thereon relative to the auxiliary memberwhen the windage adjustment is made. A knurled nut and a threaded nuteach kll mounted thereon in transversely disposed spaced relation oneach side of the auxiliary member in combination with a secondcompression spring which is inserted between the auxiliary member andthe threaded nut over the square threaded stud acts in opposition to thetension force applied therebetween by the square threaded stud andcombination of knurled and threaded nuts therein and eliminates backlashfrom the windage sight.

Accordingly it is the purpose of this invention to apply the vernier tobow and arrow shooting to improve the accuracy and precision of rangesetting thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a fragmented view of thevernier bow sight mounted on an adjustable length sight extension;

FIG. 2 shows the front view of the vernier bow sight as seen by a personlooking at the archer;

FIG. 3 shows a fragmented left side view of the vernier bow sight;

FIG. 4 shows a fragmented right side view of the vernier bow sight; I

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the vernier bow sight;

FIG. 6 shows a top view of the vernier bow sight;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the front of the vernier bow sightshowing in particular the mechanical backlash eliminating compressionsprings; and

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the square threaded stud.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference to FIG. 1 shows thevernier bow sight 10 mounted to an adapter plate 12 which carriesthreaded nut 14 for engaging the threaded end of an adjustable lengthsight extension 16 which is mounted on a bow 20. Sight extension 16 hasan extension bar of square cross section having one side parallel to thelength of the adapter plate 12 for maintaining alignment of the bowsight 10 relative to the bow 20 in a conventional manner. A twist nutlock 18 having a square aperture for slidably engaging the sightextension 16 and locking in position thereon mounts on and is screwedagainst the face of the bow 20 just above the grip of the handle on theside opposite the arrow shelf on the bow 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, showing the front side of sight bar 22, theopposed back side has two spaced threaded holes tapped therein for theengagement of connecting screws extending through the sight bar 22 andmounting to the adapter plate 12. The sight bar 22 is provided withV-grooved edges 24, as seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, which form a dovetail25 in the bar 22 extending the full length on both sides thereof.

A main member 26 slidably mounts along the front side of the sight bar22, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7. Flanges 28 which terminate thewidth of member 26 laterally engage the edges 24 of the bar 22, as shownin FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 7, and form a dovetail groove 30 therebetween inthe member 26 extending the length thereof for slidably engagingdovetail 25 on the front side of the bar 22. Knurled-head lock screw 32which is mounted on the front side of member 26, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3,5 and 7, engages a threaded hole in and through the main member 26 forpenetration therein in abutment against the front side of sight bar 22for the locking of the member 26 in position along the length thereof.Clearance hole 27 extends through member 26 spaced from the front sidethereof and in a direction having parallel relation thereto midwaybetween the longitudinal edges 24 thereof, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

An auxiliary member 34 also slidably mounts on the front side of thesight bar 22 spaced above the main member 26 by an adjustable distance,as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. Second flanges 36 which terminatethe width of member 34 laterally engage edges 24 of the bar 22, as shownin FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7, and form a dovetail groove 38 therebetween inthe member 34 extending the length thereof for slidably engagingdovetail 25 on the front side of the bar 22. Tapped hole 35 extendsthrough member 34 spaced out from the front side of the sight bar 22 bythe same distance that clearance hole 27 is spaced therefrom and extendsin a direction having parallel relation thereto midway between edges 24thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. Round threaded stud 37, as shown in FIGS.2, 3, 4, and 7, engages the tapped hole 35 in member 34 and extendsdownward therefrom in alignment through clearance hole 27 andoutstanding from the other side thereof in member 26 having a spring 39concentrically mounted therearound and compressed between the mainmember 26 and the auxiliary member 34, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 7,for positive location of each relative to the other. Knurled nut 40 withplain washers underneath engages the outstanding thread end of stud 37controlling adjustment of the relative distance between members 26 and34 against the force of compression spring 39 for positive rangecalibration of the bow sight.

Square clearance hole 42 extends through member 34 spaced from the frontside of the sight bar 22 by the same distance that tapped hole 35 isspaced therefrom lying in a plane having parallel relation but extendingin a perpendicular direction relative thereto, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3,5, 6 and 7. Square threaded stub 44 having threads cut in the fourcorners thereof, as shown in FIG. 8, extends across and through squarehole 42 outstanding from both sides of member 34. Second knurled nut 46engages the threaded end of stud 44 in abutment with the right side ofmember 34 for positive location of the stud relative to member 34.Second compression spring 48 concentrically mounts around theoutstanding extension of stud 44 out the left side of member 34. Athreaded nut 50, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, engages thisextension of square stud 44 putting spring 48 in compression thereonbetween it and the left side of member 34 for controlled adjustment ofthe relative movement of square stud 44 against the force of compressionof spring 39 in the positive compensation of the bow sight for windage.

A sight element 52 mounts to the right side end of the square stud 44for the sighting of the bow.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that details of the constructionshown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bowsight having a sighting element adjustably mounted on the bowfor range and windage adjustment comprising:

a. a range bar,

b. an auxiliary member slidably mounted on the range bar and carryingthe sighting element in vertical slidable relation along the range bar,

c. a main member in slidable relation along the range bar spaced fromthe auxiliary member,

d. a lock screw for locking the main member in fixed relation along therange bar,

e. a first elastic force member connecting the auxiliary member and themain member and exerting a force therebetween in the direction ofsliding,

f. a first retention member of adjustable length connecting theauxiliary member and the main member and exerting a force therebetweenin the direction of sliding, said force acting in opposition to theforce exerted by the elastic force member so that the position of theauxiliary member along the range bar can be adjusted,

g. a windage sight element support bar for carrying the sight element atone end thereof having a noncircular cross-section and movingtransversely relative to and engaging the auxiliary member through aworking clearance hole having a similar noncircular cross-sectiontherein,

h. a second elastic force member connecting the auxiliary member and theother end of the non-circular support bar opposite the sight elementthereon and exerting a force therebetween in the direction of moving,and

i. a second retention member having an adjustable position along saidsight element support bar for exerting a reaction force against saidauxiliary member in equilibrium against said elastic force.

2. A bow sight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sight bar comprises adovetail side extending along the length thereof.

3. A bow sight as set forth in claim 3 wherein the auxiliary membercomprises a dovetail groove engaging the dovetail side of the sight bar.

4. A bow sight as set forth in claim 3 wherein the main member comprisesa dovetail groove engaging the dovetail side of the sight bar.

5. A bow sight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and secondelastic force members comprise coilcompression springs.

6. A bow sight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first retentionmember comprises:

a. a first round threaded stud threadably engaging the auxiliary member,

b. a round working clearance hole in the main member slidably engagingthe stud therethrough. and

c. a first threaded knurled nut engaging the first stud and abutting theside of the main member opposite to the auxiliary member.

7. A bowsight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the windage sight elementsupport bar comprises:

a. a second threaded stud having a square crosssection, and

b. a second working clearance hole having a square cross-section in theauxiliary member slidably engaging the stud therethrough.

8. A bowsight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second retentionmember comprises a second threaded knurled nut engaging the windagesight element support bar.

9. A vernier bow sight comprising a sight bar provided with V-groovededges, a dovetail in the bar extending the full length on both sidesthereof, a main member slidably mounted along the front side of the bar,flanges terminating the width of the main member and forming a dovetailgroove slidably engaging the V- grooved edges of the sight bar, aknurled-head lock screw threaded in the main member and abutting thesight bar, a clearance hole in the main member spaced out from the frontside thereof in parallel relation thereto extending midway between theV-grooved edges of the sight bar, an auxiliary member slidably mountedalong the front side of the bar, flanges terminating the width of theauxiliary member and forming a dovetail groove slidably engaging theV-groove edges of the sight bar, a tapped hole in the auxiliary memberextending therethrough spaced out from the front side of the sight barin parallel relation thereto extending midway between the V-groovededges, a round threaded stud engaging the tapped hole in the auxiliarymember and extending through and engaging the clearance hole in the mainmember, a knurled nut engaging the threaded stud abutting the side ofthe main member opposite that of the auxiliary member, a compressionspring mounted concentric on the round threaded stud between the mainand auxiliary members, a square clearance hole extending through theauxiliary member spaced out from the front side of the sight bar inparallel relation thereto extending in a direction in perpendicularrelation to the \/-groove edges of the sight bar. a square threaded studengaging the square clearance hole extending out both sides of theauxiliary member, a second knurled nut engaging the right outstandingportion of the square threaded stud and abutting the right side of theauxiliary member, a sight element mounted on the right outstanding endof the square threaded stud, a threaded nut engaging the leftoutstanding portion of the square threaded stud, and a secondcompression spring mounted concentric on the square threaded studbetween the threaded nut and the auxiliary member.

1. A bowsight having a sighting element adjustably mounted on the bowfor range and windage adjustment comprising: a. a range bar, b. anauxiliary member slidably mounted on the range bar and carrying thesighting element in vertical slidable relation along the range bar, c. amain member in slidable relation along the range bar spaced from theauxiliary member, d. a lock screw for locking the main member in fixedrelation along the range bar, e. a first elastic force member connectingthe auxiliary member and the main member and exerting a forcetherebetween in the direction of sliding, f. a first retention member ofadjustable length connecting the auxiliary member and the main memberand exerting a force therebetween in the direction of sliding, saidforce acting in opposition to the force exeRted by the elastic forcemember so that the position of the auxiliary member along the range barcan be adjusted, g. a windage sight element support bar for carrying thesight element at one end thereof having a non-circular cross-section andmoving transversely relative to and engaging the auxiliary memberthrough a working clearance hole having a similar noncircularcross-section therein, h. a second elastic force member connecting theauxiliary member and the other end of the non-circular support baropposite the sight element thereon and exerting a force therebetween inthe direction of moving, and i. a second retention member having anadjustable position along said sight element support bar for exerting areaction force against said auxiliary member in equilibrium against saidelastic force.
 2. A bow sight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sightbar comprises a dovetail side extending along the length thereof.
 3. Abow sight as set forth in claim 3 wherein the auxiliary member comprisesa dovetail groove engaging the dovetail side of the sight bar.
 4. A bowsight as set forth in claim 3 wherein the main member comprises adovetail groove engaging the dovetail side of the sight bar.
 5. A bowsight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second elastic forcemembers comprise coil compression springs.
 6. A bow sight as set forthin claim 1 wherein the first retention member comprises: a. a firstround threaded stud threadably engaging the auxiliary member, b. a roundworking clearance hole in the main member slidably engaging the studtherethrough, and c. a first threaded knurled nut engaging the firststud and abutting the side of the main member opposite to the auxiliarymember.
 7. A bowsight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the windage sightelement support bar comprises: a. a second threaded stud having a squarecross-section, and b. a second working clearance hole having a squarecross-section in the auxiliary member slidably engaging the studtherethrough.
 8. A bowsight as set forth in claim 1 wherein the secondretention member comprises a second threaded knurled nut engaging thewindage sight element support bar.
 9. A vernier bow sight comprising asight bar provided with V-grooved edges, a dovetail in the bar extendingthe full length on both sides thereof, a main member slidably mountedalong the front side of the bar, flanges terminating the width of themain member and forming a dovetail groove slidably engaging theV-grooved edges of the sight bar, a knurled-head lock screw threaded inthe main member and abutting the sight bar, a clearance hole in the mainmember spaced out from the front side thereof in parallel relationthereto extending midway between the V-grooved edges of the sight bar,an auxiliary member slidably mounted along the front side of the bar,flanges terminating the width of the auxiliary member and forming adovetail groove slidably engaging the V-groove edges of the sight bar, atapped hole in the auxiliary member extending therethrough spaced outfrom the front side of the sight bar in parallel relation theretoextending midway between the V-grooved edges, a round threaded studengaging the tapped hole in the auxiliary member and extending throughand engaging the clearance hole in the main member, a knurled nutengaging the threaded stud abutting the side of the main member oppositethat of the auxiliary member, a compression spring mounted concentric onthe round threaded stud between the main and auxiliary members, a squareclearance hole extending through the auxiliary member spaced out fromthe front side of the sight bar in parallel relation thereto extendingin a direction in perpendicular relation to the V-groove edges of thesight bar, a square threaded stud engaging the square clearance holeextending out both sides of the auxiliary member, a second knurled nutengaging the right outstanding portion of the square threaded stud andabuttiNg the right side of the auxiliary member, a sight element mountedon the right outstanding end of the square threaded stud, a threaded nutengaging the left outstanding portion of the square threaded stud, and asecond compression spring mounted concentric on the square threaded studbetween the threaded nut and the auxiliary member.